


Coming Home

by Ghostboy138



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Not sure if considered graphic, Violence, but its there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-14
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-04-26 08:30:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4997887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostboy138/pseuds/Ghostboy138
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry returns after 5 long years to face Voldemort, not expecting anyone to be left waiting for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Nope still don't own Harry Potter. Damn

Harry Potter hasn't seen a familiar or friendly face in five years. Hasn't slept in the same place in three. Hasn't had a decent meal in six months. He can't remember a time were he hasn't been running for his life. He tried to think of the years before the Battle in the Atrium, but all it brought was pain and misery (though some would say that this was because of love), He could somewhat remember the faces of the people that were there, but he tried not to. That inevitably led him thinking of one particular face, eyes wide open and hair sprawled across the floor. That perfect heart-shaped face looking, if Harry didn't know better, peaceful. So as far as Harry was concerned, there was the time before, always shrouded in mist too painful too breach, and the after, all the blood and pain and fear permanently etched onto his brain.

Harry was currently somewhere in southern Italy. Not sure, never sure actually, where. It seemed safer that way. The first year-and-a-half were relatively quiet. He had enough time to train in everything from DADA to potions. Surprisingly, without that greasy git torturing him, he wasn't too bad at it. Oh he;d never be a master, but he could survive, which was all he needed. That quiet was shattered all too quickly for Harry's liking, when it seemed that every other day he was being found by Death Eaters and other dark wizards that had been sent after him by Tom. They tracked him down and were utterly ruthless. Entire villages were burnt down in their furor. He nearly died six times in under a year before he finally stopped pulling his punches and showing them mercy. Then he only almost died twice in under a year. It's the little things really.

Then, almost a year ago the unthinkable happened. Tom found him, cornered him, and killed him. He could remember that fight perfectly. Nightly dreams about it will do that to ya. He knew just before it happened, The air grew thick with evil. Hate, rage, and pain, they all seemed to permeate the air. Those few seconds probably saved his life. Kind of. He jumped through a window and randomly fired off a grey curse behind him, right as a green light shot through where his heart had been. He rolled and got to his feet just as the wall behind him blew out and a figure walked towards him. 

"Ahhh my boy, you've gotten much better since we last faced each other," spat Tom, "so much quicker on your feet. And was that a Bone Breaker curse aimed at my head? I didn;t think you had it in you. I'm so proud!" Tom could only gloat for so long as a volley of curses and hexes flew towards him, replacing his condescending smile with a cold sneer, and forcing him to dodge and block faster than he had since Dumbledore fell. 

"Go ahead Tom, keep talking and gloating. Make this real easy on me you bastard." Harry can't remember the last time he was so angry. From the looks of it, neither could Voldemort. They duelled for hours; dodging, blocking, and firing spells at each other that it was hauntingly beautiful display of power. And for the first time in his entire life, Voldemort thought he might die. Finally their battle drew to a close as Voldemort shot off an Avada Kedavra, hitting Harry right in the chest then collapsing... right as a Bone Exploder caught him in his right shoulder.

======================================================

Harry couldn't feel a damn thing. He almost thought he was floating if it wasn't for the sensation he had of lying on his back. He thought of opening his eyes, but the idea of seeing nothing, or the fear of being unable to even open his, kept them held shut.

"Harry?"

"Harry it's alright."

"Wake up, son."

He knew those voices. But... how? The ramifications just filled him with more dread. But he summoned every last ounce of courage and opened his eyes, standing up in the process.

"Mum? Dad? Sirius?!" He stared at them in disbelief, then joy at seeing his loved ones over took him and he ran to embrace them, forgetting for a moment that this most likely meant he was dead. "oh god it's so good to see you all," he sputtered out, tears of joy overtaking him. "So this is it huh? Tom got me I guess. Well, at least it's not all bad. I missed you all so much!"

He recoiled as he was slapped and saw his mother (his mother!) aproach him. "Don't you dare give up like that! You were never a coward," Lily shouted as she pulled her beautiful son into a crushing embrace.

"Yeah come on, son, have a little more faith would ya? We'll get through this yet." James ran up and embraced both his son and wife, beaming that his family was whole.

"Pup, listen to me. You're not dead. You should be, but you have a chance. That thing," Sirius jerked a thumb over his shoulder and for the first time Harry noticed a small, sobbing... child, covered in viscera a few meters away, "gets to go in your place. You're gonna go back and finish the job."

Harry was floored, he couldn't believe that he was going to get a second chance. He started to ask how, but James cut him off. "But! You're not going to kill him yet. You have to much hate in you, you've done too many things on your journey that if you kill him without healing for a bit first, you'll just become him. Worse than him probably."

And he knew it was true. Fear overtook him, uncertain for the first time in a while. Was he Voldemort reborn? Was he just as bad?

Of course not my love!" Lily spoke up, noticing the fear in her son's eyes. "You're a better person than he could ever be. But that would be a fall you won't come back from. You need to go home. Go to Grimmauld Place. There's something there that can help." She pulled her son close, followed quickly by James and Sirius, whispering their goodbyes to him and telling him how proud they all are. 

"I love you all so much. I miss you everyday. I'll be seeing you guys soon. Not real soon, but soon enough. We can catch up then!" He stepped away and closed his eyes, ready for what's to come.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that first chapter was more of a setup. Here's where the actual coming home part shows up.

Harry jerked himself awake, a pain in his chest, and every square inch of his body sore. He got to his feet and saw Tom on the ground, shoulder almost completely destroyed, still very much unconscious. Harry lifted his wand and aimed at Tom's heart, and sickly green light emitting from the tip of his wand. He stayed like this for several minutes, trying his hardest to convince himself to do it, but the words of his loved ones rang in his ears. After a herculean effort, his wand was lowered and he walked a short distance away.

"You'll never know just how lucky you are and how damn close you came today." Harry tried to put every ounce of his hatred and revulsion into his speech. "I'm letting you go today, only out of the love and respect for my parents and Sirius. If I ever, I mean EVER, see you again, our story will end there. Course, just because I'm leaving you alive doesn't mean I'm not gonna have a little fun. This one's for you Padfoot." He pointed his wand at Tom and did a silent spell. Satisfied with his work he turned on the spot and vanished.

Minutes later Voldemort woke up, cursed his enemy loudly, destroyed everything in sight and went back to Hogwarts, his current headquarters. In his anger he never realized that his robes had been replaced by a bright yellow bikini. Maybe the Marauders weren't dead after all...

================================================

A lone, hooded, figure walked up the street towards #12 Grimmauld Place, radiating an aura of pure hostility that would turn most people into blubbering idiots. The figure slowly lowred his hood showing off a untameable mop of jet black hair on his head and a rather grizzled beard, used to hide several scars on his chin and cheeks. He stopped right in front of #12 and took a deep breath, apprehension evident in the way his body seemed ready to pounce on anything perceived as a threat. Which these days, was most things. 

Harry climbed the steps to #12 and rested his hand on the doorknob. He'd heard rumours that Sirius had left him everything so he wasn't worried about getting in. And he'd asked Dobby to seal up the house as best as the little elf could, and judging by his eagerness and enthusiasm, that would be pretty damn good indeed. Gathering all his courage, Harry twisted the knob and whispered, "Well Gryffindors charge forward... or something like that." He pushed the door open and walked in, realizing that it almost looked exactly the same. Except... it was cleaner. Which was a very bad sign. He tried to turn and run out the door only for it to shut behind him and several shouts of "Stupefy!" rang out in the hallway. Thank god all these years had honed his reflexes as he was fast enough to duck, throw up a shield, and roll into the couch in the span of a few seconds.

"Stupefy!"

"Confringo!"

"Praemia!"

"Confractus!"

So many spells were flying at Harry that he barely had time to breathe, much less react. Finally getting an opening he sent a wide area stunner, taking out most of his attackers. All but the one who came in late from the side entrance and punched him in the back of the head, causing lights to dance in front of his eyes before darkness took him.

=================================================

Harry floated for what felt like an eternity until he felt a dull throbbing in the back of his head and knew he was slowly coming back to the land of the living. Deciding to play it safe, he kept his eyes closed and tried staying as still as possible. He realized that whoever these people were, they were excited. Catching the magical world's number one criminal will do that. Hopefully there aren't any Death Eaters, maybe then he had a small chance of getting lose before they got here. Rousing himself slowly, Harry thought it'd be a good idea to listen to the conversations going on.

"It can't be him? Can it?"

"Merlin I hope so! And we've already checked for glamour charms and polyjuice. 'Sides. not much chance of hiding that scar?"

"Who cares if it's him?! The bloody git does-"

"Ginny! How can you say things like that?"

"Well, he did abandon us. Left us on our own to die. Look what's happened since he left!"

"Admittedly, these last few years have been rough. But we did what we had to! And now that he's back maybe we can tell him..."

"Quiet! He's awake."

Grimacing and knowing he was caught, he waited for he inevitable cry of "Crucio" but when it didn't come he lifted his head and opened his eyes. What he saw shocked him and shut down his brain, causing a glazed look to slide over his face. There in front of him was most everybody he knew from school! There sat: Ron, Ginny, Luna, Neville, the twins, Dean Thomas & Seamus Finnigan (sitting rather closely for some reason), Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, Oliver Wood, Cho Chang, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbot, Ernie McMillian, Justin Flinch-Fletchley, and so many more. With a mild heart attack he even recognized a few Slytherins, Blaise Zabini, the Greengrass sisters, Pansy Parkinson, even... MALFOY?!

"Wh... wh...what?!" he sputtered out, shock threatening to take him from consciousness again. "How are you all here? I've seen the papers! You're all supposed to be dead! Not that I'm complaining mind you, but this is impossible!" Harry looked from each face hoping for an explanation. 

Finally, Ron stepped forward and started talking. "Well the Death Eaters are right cocky, see? After every safe house they destroyed, they'd just list who ever they saw inside as dead. Came in bloody handy mind you, what with our uh... job and all..."

At this point, Ginny cut in, staring at Harry with death in her eyes. "That's enough Ron. We'll wait til the rest are done with their meeting then we can all talk about this. Personally I don't think Potter can be trusted!"

"Ginny calm down love I know it's been rough but-" spoke up Blaise, but that sentenced was doomed from the start.

"OI! Don't bloody well tell me to calm down Zabini! I'll be as mad at this tosser as I want!" It seemed Ginny had inherited Mrs. Weasley's temper, and everyone in the room flinched away from her outburst.

At this point it became obvious that the meeting upstairs had broken up, evident by the fact that loud stomps came rushing down the stairs to find the source of the commotion. It was at this point that a voice spoke up, the last voice Harry wanted to hear, ever expected to hear, or thought he'd ever be able to handle hearing again.

"Hey you lot, why're causing a ruckus and just standing around in the kitchen huh? Don't any of you have work to do? Come on get to-." At this point the young woman who had been trying to push her way through the crowd and succeeded. She found herself at a young man seated in a chair, an expression of bewilderment and... hope? on his face. The face she hadn't seen in five years. The only face she ever wanted to see again. Pushing through the thought that this was a prank she gathered her courage, changing her hair into the short bubblegum pink he always loved on her. "H... Harry?"

'No. No no no nonononononono. Don't do this you bastard. How much did hope hurt like this last time, DON'T DO IT!' he thought to himself. "...Dora?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, hoped you liked it! I'm trying to write longer chapters but I've written exclusively poems for so long anything longer than 20 lines is hard to manage haha.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo bit of a longer chapter here. Took me a few days to get it all planned and down. Hope you like it!
> 
> Nope. Still don't own HP.

Nymphadora Tonks was not having a good day. Well, rather she wasn't having a good few years. Who was really? But today, was especially miserable. First, there was today's mission: find and a destroy the second to last horcrux, that damn locket. That had gone miserably, costing the underground a good tenth of their remaining forces. It was not a day to take lightly. The fact they had gotten the ruddy thing was almost inconsequential. Now her, and a few more senior members of their group were trying to regroup, strategize and hopefully get in contact with another cell, maybe try and re-establish the portkeys to other bases even. In the end nothing seemed prudent, so recovery was deemed the best idea. Then, as things were wrapping up, sounds of a scuffle came from the rooms below. Almost sounded like it was in the entrance hall. An intruder? Here? No one could get in that wasn't allowed in, so no way. Probably just someone (Ginny) releasing a little stress and anger. She motioned to Hermione, Fleur, and Bill to stay calm, they'd sort it out once the meeting was over. It grew quiet and everyone breathed a little easier, right up until the yelling started up. Taking that as their cue, they bolted out of the room and down the stairs to find everyone crowded into the parlor, surrounding something. Or someone. Damn, someone had better not have found a way through their wards. Pushing her way throught the crowd, Tonks foinally forced her way to the front and got a good look at the “guest.” Her heart spent a good thirty seconds in the basement of #12 before something inside her erupted. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this happy or had this much hope.

“H... Harry?”

=======================================

Harry and Tonks stared at each other for a good long while. Everyone else was looking back and forth between the two, unable to figure out what had just happened. Nobody, not even Ron, missed the longing in their greeting. Nobody missed the way Harry said “Dora,” like it was the greatest word in the entire universe. For that matter nobody missed the fact that Tonks hadn't hexed Harry for his usage of a name other than “Tonks.” At some point. Harry had stood up(wasn't he tied up? And wandless? How the hell?), and leapt across the table, couch, and small desk that seperated them and pulled Tonks so close to him and held her so tight that most people in the room were blushing at the sheer passion that went into the embrace. 

“Dora! DORA! You're alive, oh sweet Merlin you're alive! How? At the ministry I saw... you... Killing Curse?” he stuttered out, tears flowing down his face as he held her again, thinking of how powerful his patronus would be from now on.

“Harry! You're back, you're here, you're here!” she cried out, unable to concentrate on her looks, every aspect of her cycling through several different styles and colors. “Bellatrix shot the curse at me but I conjured a stone at the last second and saved myself. The explosion...” she trailed off. “The explosion though, it nearly killed me. I was in a coma for months. I-I woke up and everyone said you'd fought... him... and then disappeared. Nobody knew what happened. Even Albus... he said you left his office and the next morning you were gone. What happened? Where'd you go? Why'd you leave? Why Harry, why?” In a few moments she'd gone from ecstatic and in love to royally pissed off. Everyone in the room, minus Harry, backed up a bit, bracing for the worst.

“Well...” while not pulling away from Dora- his Dora!- Harry at least had the sense to look a little ashamed. “I saw Sirius die... and then I saw, or thought I saw, you die shortly after Dora. I... I lost it. I chased Bellatrix and... did things to her. The Cruciatus. And other spells I didn't recognize at the time. I killed her. Painfully. Then Voldemort,” Harry paused, expecting the shivers or flinches. He was presently surprised when so few reacted. “Then Voldemort showed up, followed quickly by Albus. The dueled and did things with their wands that I thought was impossible. Right before he lost, Voldemort possessed me, but couldn't handle my mind, or as Albus said, love. He fled from me, then Albus took me to his office and told me of the prophecy-” 

“Prophecy?” spoke several people at once, with Hermione following up, “Dumbledore never mentioned a prophecy to us Harry?”

With that, Harry took a sigh and told the tale of his conversation with Albus that night, followed by his escape from the rest of the world, his training and years on the run, fighting for his life, right up until his most recent encounter with Tom, thought he left out most of the important(re: dying) stuff. It wasn't an easy tale to tell. He faltered many times and came close to giving up on several occasions, but then he'd look up into Dora's face, and remember she was there for him. She was still very much alive, and never once made a move to leave his embrace. Not even with the very angry looks a one Charlie Weasley was sending them.

“Well uh, that's my story. Got away from Tom and came here to look for what Sirius told me I needed.” He smiled and looked around the room at everyone, people he never thought he'd see again and found he was so excited that every one of them was here. Hell even Draco and Pansy. “I guess I found it. Good old Padfoot,” he stated, holding Dora even tighter.

“That's a helluva story there mate,” Ron spoke up, for the first time that night. “Maybe you'd like to tell us the one about you and Dora-” he swallowed loudly at the look he got from the ex-Auror. “-I mean Tonks. That seems like it's certainly something.”

The couple blushed as they realized that most of the rooms occupants were still staring at them and looking at them expectantly. All but Charlie and Ginny of course. “Well it started the summer after fourth year. I was so damn torn up over the events in the graveyard, Cedric in particular-”

“Yeah, I saw him being all mopey over a boy and thought they had a thing going on,” Tonks teased, causing Harry to blush even harder and most everyone in the room to chuckle, and for some reason Draco handed some coins over to Blaise. “I decided while watching him to cheer him up and get him back into the game, so I introduced myself by appearing into his room one night, then promptly spent the next week carting him off to gay bars around London.” Harry looked faint, she promised to never mention those disastrous nights out. Ron and the twins looked like they were about to pass out from laughing, the rest of the room looked to be close behind. Even a Charlie cracked a smile, though it looked vaguely... victorious. “Course once I realized my mistake it got a lot easier to cheer him up. I just started snogging the poor boy senseless. It was just fun at first, but we grew close fast. Very fast actually. Next thing I know he's here and we're almost inseperable and telling each other everything, all our secrets and our worries and just... everything.”

The room grew silent but most seemed genuinely happy. It was very hard to hear love stories like this today so they all relished in the warmth the two generated. Harry spoke up next and was beaming. “We spent the first term owling each other almost daily, which I'm sure Hermione noticed,” the brunette witch blushed but smiled at him. “At Christmas she pulled me out of my downward spiral after the attack on Arthur almost immediately. It was that New Year's Eve we realized we loved each other.” All the girls in the room 'awed' at that, even Draco seemed to be happier. That was a little unsettling to be honest, but Harry knew the Slytherins wouldn't be here if they weren't trusted so he did his best to squash those feelings. 

“Everything went great,” Tonks continued, “right up until the events at the ministry...” Harry looked down at his feet and tried to mumble out an apology but was cut off. “We're not mad, love. Well, I'm not at least and I know a few others who aren't. Did it suck? You bet. Was I hurt? Hell yeah. Am I still? Probably. Do I understand a little better now after hearing why? ...Yes.”

He looked back up at her and rested his forehead against hers. “Dora I-” she held up a hand cutting him off then stared into his emerald eyes for a second, before smiling and kissing him deeply not caring who was in the room. They pulled apart and looked over as they heard a loud roar and saw Charlie Weasley storm off.

Before Harry could even open his mouth to ask, Hermione cut him off. “You'll have to talk about that with Tonks later Harry. For now I think it's a good idea to tell you what we've done over the last few years and where we stand in the war.” She waited until Harry nodded at her, then continued once he'd sat down on a couch, with Tonks sitting next to him, their hands locked together. She smiled at them then started up. “Once it became obvious you weren't coming back, Dumbledore grew frantic. He had me, Ron, and Ginny start recruiting other Hogwarts students.” She gestured around the room. “This isn't all of them, and most certainly all that remains of the Order, though we are one of the larger groups. Once our ranks swelled, he told us his theory of how Voldemort survived. Have you ever heard of a horcrux, Harry?” When he shook his head no, she sighed and continued. “They're very dark magic. It's essentially a piece of one's soul stored away so even in one's body is destroyed, that person can't die. It's how he survived all those years ago. Well, we think he made six. Technically seven, but that can wait a bit. The entire Order has spent the last several years hunting down and destroying them. Last night we got the last of them.” She paused, and grew nervous. She saw Tonks squeeze Harry's hand harder and nodded at her, but before she could continue, Harry cheered.

“Hermione that's wonderful! That means we can take the fight to him and end this? Can we work harder to get back in touch with everyone and and try to launch an assault on their base or something?” Harry didn't remember standing up, but he was more excited about this than he had been about anything else in a long damn time.

Ginny snorted and shouted when she saw no one was going to say anything. “Go on you lot, tell him. He should know, and not from me 'cuz quite frankly I'll enjoy it too much!”

Harry looked around and saw for the first time that no one could meet his eyes except for Ginny. “Err... Hermione? Tonks?”

Draco let out a sigh and looked him straight in the eye, his voice breaking as he spoke. “Potter... you remember how Granger said he technically made seven?” Harry nodded and waited for him to continue. “We've destroyed all the ones he made intentionally. However there was one, the seventh, that he didn't mean to make and still doesn't realize he did.” Draco paused, grasping for the right words to say. “It... it happened October 31st 1981... when he tried to kill you...”

All color left Harry's face as the horrible truth dawned on him. He had a bit of Tom's soul in him... he was a horcrux... he was... tainted. “Ho... how do we get it out...?” No one had the courage to speak up at this for several minutes and Harry quickly grew despondent.

Finally Ron, of all people spoke up. “Well Dumbledore reckons... well he thinks you have to die. By V-Voldemort's hand...”

Nobody was really sure how they expected him to react, but none of them ever even thought about expecting laughter. “Oh Merlin... oh that's too good!” Harry was doubled over, clutching his sides and realizing they all thought he was probably insane.

“Harry James Potter!” He knew he was in trouble when Hermione and Tonks both spoke up, both used his middle name. They glanced at each other before Hermione went on. “What's so damn funny about this? This is awful!”

“'Mione it's not a big deal, really!”

“How can you even say that?!”

“Because Tom already killed me! Earlier today in fact.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Woo two chapters in as many days. I must like you guys or something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't own HP. Hope you like it.

Hermione was speechless. She knew, knew, she should be asking question after question, maybe hugging Harry, though she was still wary of him after so long that might not be a good idea, or even just doing something other than staring at the wall a little to the left of Harry. Also, it would probably be a good idea to remember to breathe soon.

Ron felt sick. His stomach had just climbed a mountain, then dived and free falled at least 3 miles down. The room was going out of focus too. That was never a good sign. The last time that happened, he woke up next to Draco. Admittedly after panicking and screaming, they did find their respective girlfriends half naked and entwined in bed. So there was always that. He should probably blink soon too.

Tonks looked pale. Which was dangerous for a metamorphagus, as she knew her hair and face had quite literally just lost all color. The last time that happened, Mrs. Weasley had walked in on her and Charlie, naked and with a bottle of firewhiskey. Charlie still swore his buttocks had never grown back right. Where was Charlie anyways? Oh... right... she'd been embracing Harry... bugger. It'd be great if her heart started to beat again soon. It was getting rather difficult to stay upright without blood flowing. Though Harry holding her did help...

==========================================

Harry gazed around the room, having the good grace to at least look sheepish. Most people looked sick. One of the twins had actually fainted, he thinks. Draco was definitely going to be ill in the next few minutes if something didn't happen soon. Harry couldn't even bring himself to look at Dora, Hermione, or Ron. The thought suddenly crossed his mind that maybe he should have said that with a little more tact. And in private too probably. Never saying it at all seemed like a really good idea too actually. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, when the silence was broken for him. By Ginny. Laughing. Oh shit.

“Really Potter? You expect us to believe that you died and suddenly here you are a few hours later, perfectly fine?” Ginny inherited her mother's staying power. Best to cut her off early and save every one the trouble. Course most people were still in shock. “I've heard some shite from you in the years I've known you and all. I mean the basilisk? Makes some sense. A hundred demementors? Not impossible sure! But coming back from the dead? Sod off Potter.” She stormed out of the room, quickly followed by Zabini- Zabini? Really?- just in time for people to finally recover.

“Ginny, you were there for the basilisk!” Ron shouted and tried to take off after his sister but Luna appeared out of nowhere and stopped him, slightly shaking her head, then turning to look back at Harry with a gaze that just screamed 'Explain.'

“Err... right. So. I;m sure most of, if not all of you, have heard Hermione's theories,” he gestured towards the brunette and most of the room laughed briefly causing her to blush. Somethings never change. “Right well, I'm a uhh horcrux you said?Right, horcrux. Part of Riddle's soul lived in me for the last 19 years. But despite all the bleed through, the Parseltongue, the reading his emotions, we remained seperate entities sharing a body. Unlike a true horcrux, there was already a soul that managed to repress most of Riddle's bit.” Hermione and most of the room nodded in understanding. She must have been fairly thorough. Or insistent. “Well when Tom's curse hit me, I think, and really, this is a pretty good guess, he killed of the part of his soul left behind, allowing me to come back. Though technically I don't think I actually died. But semantics.”

“How do you know all this Potter?” Draco spoke up, his face fixing into the same grimace from when he was younger. Kind of comforting actually.

“Well I saw it. I guess. When I 'died' I had a vison and saw... uhh it dying. It was damn ugly actually.” He chuckled, hoping his casual insult would break a little tension. It was successful, and within minutes groups had broken up to discuss these new revelations. Dora broke off and Harry settled into a couch. Soon he noticed Hermione, Bill, Fleur, and a cloaked man he suspected arrived late approaching him. He made to get up but was interrupted by the twins, and the looks on their faces scared him fierce.

“So Harry,” Fred- probably Fred, he usually started these jokes-, “what you're saying-”

“Is that all this time,” George continued, his voice louder and drawing attention from all across the room. “Is that-”

“You've had a man inside you?!” They finished together, looks of utter glee on their faces. Harry, and half the room, snorted. Most had the decency to look awway and act ashamed, but Draco actually fell of the arm of the couch he was sitting on, hitting his head and causing Pansy to roll her eyes and help him up.

“Well I guess some things never change right guys?”

=================================

“Well I guess some things never change, right Dora?” Charlie was in the far corner of the room, resting next to a near lifeless fire. A half-empty bottle of Ogden's sat rested on the floor next to him. That was quick. “Always sleeping around, making your boyfriend look like an ass, I shoulda fucking learned from last time.”

“Don't. Call. Me. Dora.” Tonks sighed. She should have seen this coming, Charlie always was jealous. Though this time he actually had a reason to be so, that's not good. She looked up and suddenly Charlie was in her face. Had he been crying? Oh damn.

“What the hell Tonks? We've been together for 2 years and he shows up and suddenly that all goes out the window? And Harry? Really? Bit young don't-” Charlie recoils as Tonks' hand leaves a bright red imprint on his face. He slowly reaches up to touch it, completely shocked.

“Charlie, mate, you need to calm down. You know for a fact that what we had wasn't ever serious. Don't say we were 'together' when you know damn well we just fooled around. And if I recall, you were the overly jealous one that thought I was sleeping around, so you decided it'd be ok to cheat on me in kind! And you got caught!” Tonks hair had slowly started cycling through colors, most of them warm. She always did this when she got angry. Always. “And don't you dare talk about how young Harry is. He's done so much and seen so much and lived through so much, it's a miracle he can even still love like he does. The fact that he loves me, with everything he has makes me feel so damn special. Like, I'd give up my metamorphagus powers for him, maybe even my magic! And just, there's such warmth coming off him when we're together, even now after five years! That's what it's liked to be loved by Harry Potter.”

Charlie's face grew more stone-like with every word, no emotion playing across his face, no thought even. Finally he broke and surreptisously lifted his wand and pointed it at Tonks. “Fine. You love him then he can have you. But we will 'fool around' one more time and I'm gonna make sure he never wants to touch you again. Immobilus!” Tonks froze, her face trapped in a display of shock, and she fell as Charlie started firing cutting curses at her to get rid of her clothes, though some went wide and tore into her skin. She landed on the floor with a dull thud, a vase on the endtable next to her coming with her and shattering. Unable to move, she could at least cry as Charlie approached her.

================================

The group had spread out from the drawing room into the kitchen. Everyone was talking and being fairly friendly, even towards Harry, which he wasn't sure he deserved but decided to just roll with it. Ginny and Blaise had finally returned, though Ginny still seemed a little peeved. Neville, Pansy, and Cho had all started cooking dinner, which Harry was more than happy to help with, but the sight of Pansy brandishing a spoon at him was a sufficient enough deterrent. He sat and was enjoying the company of Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, and even Daphne Greengrass. One day he had to hear the story of how Slytherins joined the Order. He was about to make a t joke at Wood's expense when the sound of something shattering came from upstairs.

That noise was enough to startle most people and stop all conversation, but Harry went into high alert. He looked around trying to make sure everyone was around. His heart sank when he couldn't find Tonks, only to roar when he couldn't find Charlie either. Charlie with a jealous temper who, according to Bill, was seeing Dora. Letting out a guttural growl that floored most every one around him, he was up and bounding off towards the stairs before anyone could react. After searching several rooms, he found them, Tonks naked and bleeding, Charlie undressing and kissing Tonks' neck.

“DEPULSO!”

With a well placed Banishinf charm, Charlie soared across the room into a bookcase, and Harry was on Tonks before Charlie even landed. Realizing she'd been immbilized, he performed the counter and started doing his best to heal her wounds. “Dora it's me, love, it's me. You're gonna be ok just hang on.” He patched her up and transfigured some clothes onto her, just in time to notice Hermione, Bill, Ron, and a few others come into the room, staring at the two and looking over his shoulder, eyes wide in shock. Harry knew something was wrong and tried to to stand up and turn to face Charlie, only for a Bone Exploding Curse to catch him in his hip, and with pain(and bone shards) now tearing through his body, it took every last ounce of effort to dive out of the way of the next curse, Charlie turning with him and preparing to fire off another Bone Exploder.

“Sectumsempra! Praemia! Praemia!” As soon as she saw her opening, Tonks was on her feet, wand in hand, pointing right at Charlie's heart. Sectumsempra caugh him in the chest, causing him to twist, which made one Bone Exploder catch him in the shoulder, the other went wide and hit the far wall. The effect was enough though and Charlie dropped, causing Tonks to run straight for Harry.

“Harry, come on you need to stay awake love, please! Come on, how're you gonna reward me for saving your life if you die?” This drew a chuckle from Harry and he reached up to place a hand on Tonks' cheek and pulled her face down to him. “That's it love, you're safe, go ahead and kiss your hero.”

“Cheeky git,” Harry whispered, then pressed his lips against Dora's, trying to send five years worth of love, pain, loss, and one night's worth of utter ecstasy through his lips. It seemed o be working because he and Dora were both crying as the broke apart, tears of joy. “That's what I like to see. My Dora, happy enough to glow and make the world look that much brighter.” He pressed his forehead to hers and sighed.

Then, promptly passed out from pain and blood loss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost left you guys with a cliffhanger, but I'm not that mean.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo took me a little longer to get this one up. Sorry 'bout that. Well here ya guys go.

Harry awoke in what he thought, judging from the posters of Muggle girls in bikinis, had to have been Sirius' room. Chuckling to himself at the nerve of his godfather he winced and grabbed his hip, still tender from being healed. He remembered getting hit with a bone exploder, and realized he had to have been given Skele-Gro. He sat up slowly, still sore, but thankful to have slept through most of it. He looked around and saw Dora sleeping in a chair next to his bed. He couldn't remember the last time he had ever seen something so beautiful, and for a moment he allowed himself to forget about the war and 5 years of hell. He stood, and nearly collapsed, his new hip still untested. Undeterred, he regained his footing and walked over to Dora, slipping his arms under her and lifted her up to his chest. She shifted at the movement and moaned softly, nuzzling her head against his chest. Grinning to himself, he laid her down and climbed into bed next to her. As soon as he was comfortable, she latched onto him, wrapping her body around him. He drifted off to sleep, content for the first time in five years.

===================================

Tonks awoke to arms around her, arms she'd know anywhere, no matter what. She sighed and rolled over to look at Harry, only to see he was already awake and watching her, the hint of a smile playing at his lips. “Morning you,” she smiled and kissed his cheek. That hint disappeared and he sat up, looking down at her with anguish on his face. “Harry? What's wrong love? You're not planning on leaving again are you?” Clearly this was the wrong thing to say, Harry looked as if something had just grabbed ahold of his heart and squeezed, she sat up and tried to crack a joke to ease the tension but he cut her off.

“Dora... no, Tonks. Listen to me.” He looked in her eyes, pale blue and perfect. “I was a right asshole for taking off like I did. Don't bother saying anything to the contrary, it won't work. It's true. It was a bad move, one a heartbroken fifteen year old boy would make. I'm not proud of it, but I have to say I needed it. I... look. I owe you an apology. I owe everyone in this house an apology. Hell I owe all of magical Britain an apology.”

Tonks studied him for a second before smacking his forehead and laughing. “Dammit Harry, you went and grew up on me huh? Guess I'll have to work on that a bit with you.” She laughed and winked at him, then leaned forward and kissed him lightly, his arms wrapping around her waist. “Look, I won't lie, it hurt all of us when you left, even the Slytherins, thought that's their story to tell, not mine. I was hurt most of all, and want to be mad at you, but I just can't. Maybe one day I will be, but for now, you came back from the dead Harry. I guess I did the same for you huh?” She looked in his eyes, emerald and shining. “You mean too much for me to let you go again.”

Harry blushed and pulled her to him, burying his face in her hair. “We should get up. I've no idea how long I slept, but I'm sure most people would love to know I'm okay. Or at least awake. Plus I'm starving!” Ignoring a cry of “Yes, Ron!” Harry climbed out of bed, reluctant to leave his haven here with Dora. He changed and felt her eyes wandering his body appreciatively. Five years of fighting and surviving must do a body good. Once he was dressed he sat down and was treated to a show as Dora ever so slowly undressed and made a scene of picking out what to wear. Any guy would have been turned on, but she had slipped back into her regular form. All long legs, plump stomach, round ass, great thighs, perfect chest, and brown hair, and all for him. He twitched in his pants and was rather disappointed when she was dressed, but he had been the one to suggest getting out of bed. Git. They made their way downstairs, teasing each other. Nobody could recall Tonks being this happy in years. It was damn refreshing. Harry and Tonks walked into the kitchen, hoping for an easy day to recover from everything that had happened recently.

==================================================

It was his own fault really. Harry should have known, there was a time and a place for wishful thinking. What were hopefully the final days of a war was definitely neither. So when he stepped into the kitchen with Dora on his arm and sensed nothing but pure dread coming from everyone present, he stopped dead in his tracks. One look around the room told him that something terrible and messed up had happened. He groaned, sat in the nearest chair, and steeled himself. “What happened?”

No one spoke. No one could even look at him.

After what felt like days, Draco spoke up. “He... he knows you're back. He called you out. By attacking... orphanages.”

Harry was on his feet faster than most people could see, the arm of his chair snapping off and being gripped so hard it was cracking under the pressure. Still, no one had been hit by Harry releasing a little accidental magic, so better than most people thought he would react. He stared at the far wall for a few minutes then looked down to Dora. She nodded, and grasped his arm, reassuringly.

“Right then. We end this. Where is he? Who does he have? Who do we have? How fast can we get people mobilized?” Harry was off, plans forming in his head, pacing the kitchen. Hermione looked scared, she'd never seen such determination on his face before. Ron looked off in the distance, planning as well, waiting for Harry to call on him. Nobody said anything until a laugh pierced the air.

“Really Potter?” Ginny, asked, contempt thinly veiled in her voice. “Gone five years and you expect us to just up and fight for you? Hell I don't even want to fight with you!” She looked around to see if anyone was agreeing with her, and thus missed the flash of red flying towards here. She fell to the floor, unconscious.

“Right, anyone else?” Harry asked as he lowered his wand. Blaise, ran to Ginny and looked like every evil spell he knew was getting ready to fly at Harry, but he steeled himself. He knew Ginny was right, but she had been out of line. Better to go with Potter for now.

Ron spoke up first, not quite angry, but not pleased either. “Mate, I'm more than ready to fight with you if it means ending this damn war already. Just... try not to take out any more of my family ok?” Ron knew most people had their wands out, ready to stop Harry should he try anything else.

Harry sighed and put his wand away. “Yeah that may have been a little extreme, but we really don't have time for arguing amongst ourselves. We are going to end this. Now. Tell me everything you guys know, everything that you think is useful, and hell even the things you don't think will be.And get the word out, get everyone assembled here.” Harry sat back in his chair, and Tonks leaned over to place a hand on his knee and smiled at him. This was his show now, like she always knew it would have to.

“Harry?” Hermione spoke up for the first time since this whole mess began.

“Hmm?”

“What exactly are you planning?”

“That's easy 'Mione.” Harry looked around at everyone in the room, even a recently revived Ginny. The look on his face, that of stone, determination pouring out of his eyes, made most shiver and Pansy even grew a little faint. That look made sure no one doubted what he said next.

“I aim to end this. Once and for all.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably only got a few more chapters of this one, though I think I'll be starting another Harry/Tonks or a Harry/Fleur today.

The next month and a half was a blur, a whirlwind of activity. Most days saw every person in the house being run ragged, gathering intel and Voldemort and his followers, gathering supplies to use in the coming fight, and gathering every living member of the resistance group, and even several witches and wizards who had nothing to do with the fighting up until now. It's as if the entire magical world could feel the end drawing near, as soon the resistance had received offers of aid from several foreign countries and even a few other magical races, such as the centaurs and even a few dragons. One conversation soon sent the resistance's recruitment into overdrive, and it had started so innocently, but instantly ran into a roadblock.

Harry and Tonks were sitting in the kitchen of #12, having breakfast and enjoying each other's company. Indeed, it was difficult, if not damn near impossible, to find them separated. This rare morning found the couple alone, every other occupant of the house off on a mission or else enjoying a day out of the house.

Tonks looked up at Harry as he set her plate on the table in front of her, his morning ritual of cooking for them almost done. She smiled, wondering when he had become so a homebody. “So,” she started, smile still on her face, as Harry sat and started eating, “where were you thinking of us living when all this is over?” Tonks laughed as Harry choked, though her face soon darkened as she realized the implications of his reaction. Surely that wasn't a wholly unexpected question?

Once Harry was sure he wasn't going to choke to death he looked over at Dora, took one look at her face and paled. “Dora I...” He paused, unable to continue, trying to think about his future, with the woman he loved no less, for the first time in eternity. “I guess that...” he broke off, mumbling under his breath. Dora leaned in closer to him, glaring and waiting for him to gather his courage. Harry looked up and sighed, realizing getting out of this was a lost cause. Honestly, the worst she could do was hex him. Or kill him. “I never... really thought that far ahead. I haven't had time to. Just never thought... never counted on... Dora, I never once expected to live through this war. Honestly I'm still not sure if I do.” Harry stared into Dora's eyes, growing worried as they seemed to cycle through various shades of red, before finally settling down and turning the same shade as his. That was at least a good sign.

“Harry James Potter,” Tonks smirked as he winced slightly, the middle name was rarely a good sign. “You absolute prat. I want to be furious with you right now. I am furious with you right now. Mainly because that definitely hurt.” Tonks sighed and softened her face as she reached across the table to grab his hand. “But I understand. These last few years have been damned near impossible and none of us ever expected to survive. So you not thinking of anything like that is okay. Mostly. However, you had better put some serious thought into what you want to do after this war, you hear me?”

Harry nodded, “I promise Dora.” He stood up and walked around the table to kiss her, trying to reassure her that he was serious. “There just hasn't been a whole lot of hope for everyone lately.” Harry stared off into space, lost in thought for a few minutes, before coming back and smiling at Tonks. “So Dora, I would assume that there hasn't been a lot of hope for just about anyone these last few years huh?” Dora nodded, wondering where he was going with this. “And I'm sure that Riddle and his cronies spread greatly exaggerated rumors of my demise yes?” She nodded once more and smiled, suddenly realizing where he was going with this. “So maybe it's time I reintroduced myself to society. Very publicly if possible. And grandiosely too, something worthy of Sirius himself. And I've got just the thing.” He leaned into her and whispered into her ear, a smirk on his face, one that Tonks soon shared with him.

====================================================

Death Eaters were not stupid. In fact, most of them were very intelligent, some could even be considered brilliant. However, there are dangers in thinking a war is over before it's been won. Namely, complacency. And Death Eaters, except for maybe Bellatrix and Severus, had definitely grown complacent. So, what should have been a routine parade through Diagon Alley soon turned into utter chaos, followed by total embarrassment. Lucius Malfoy was leading today's display, trying his best to look but grand and terrifying. With him were Dolohov and Rookwood, along with half a dozen new recruits. None in the Alley today could meet their eyes, and for once Lucius let himself feel happy. Of course at that moment, several loud bangs could be heard, followed by a blinding light that caused Lucius' eyes to tear up. Once his vision returned, he blanched, seeing that the other Death Eaters were all completely naked! The crowd looked stunned, and a Daily Prophet reporter was taking pictures as fast as her fingers would allow. Several people had the audacity to laugh, and Lucius' rage boiled over. He raised his wand, only to find that it had been replaced with... a muggle drumstick? He was about to charge the crowd when he wound up on his back, bound with thick black ropes. He looked around wildly, desperation on his face. Seeing his companions were in the same predicament, his eyes went wide as a cloaked figure strode toward him, menace radiating from the stranger.

The stranger bent down to gloat and Lucius cursed himself repeatedly. “Ahhh Lucius, how nice of you to join us today! You were present at your master's rebirth, so really, it's only fitting that you're at mine.” What little color was left in his face soon left, as the stranger stood up and strolled over to the crowd. “Wizards and witches of Britian! I know these last few years have been tought on you. They have been tough on all of us. It is with a heavy heart as I admit to abandoning you all those years ago. Just remember, I was a fifteen year old boy who had just lost the two most important people in my life.” The stranger paused, waiting for the crowd to settle down. They smirked as they noticed a Daily Prophet reporter present. That couldn't have worked out better if it had been planned! “In truth, my five years of wandering may have been the best thing to have happened to me. If not, then at the very least, it is exactly what was need. I grew up, and I grew up fast. I became stronger, simply because I had no other choice. And now, I return to you, whole, and willing to do whatever it takes to end this nightmare. And that is all this is, a nightmare. Nightmares always end.” The stranger lowered their hood, Lucius paled even further, though he had already figured it out. The crowd gasped, and the Prophet reporter passed out, scarcely believing their sheer dumb luck. “I'm Harry Potter, and I'm going to do my damnedest to end this war.”

=======================================================

Within 48 hours the war ramped up to complete chaos and hell. People were fighting in the streets, Death Eaters finding themselves vastly outnumbered, seemingly every witch and wizard who didn't share their views gathering their courage and fighting them tooth and nail, regardless of strength and skill levels. Voldemort himself was now showing up at most conflicts, trying to do as much damage as possible, but everytime he popped up, Harry Potter appeared, dueling him to a standstill. And the Death Eaters previously insurmountable numbers were vanishing rapidly, dozens dying in almost every conflict. Yet still the resistance grew, their numbers swelled by almost every magical race joining them, even so called Dark Creatures, such as vampires and werewolves. Voldemort withdrew to Hogwarts, calling all his forces back, content to lick his wounds and try and strengthen his numbers with foreign help. And then the war, finally after thirty years, came to him.

The plan was simple, brutal, and fairly elegant in it's brilliance. Hermione was almost jealous it wasn't hers as she thought back to the gathering almost two weeks ago.

“So, holed up in Hogwarts huh?”

“Yup.”

“We never could figure out why.”

“That's easy. It's home for him. First place he truly felt like he belonged.”

The room turned to look at him as one. Harry smirked and stood up. “You all forget how hauntingly similar our lives are. Left behind by our parents, intentional or unintentional, raised in dangerous and disturbing environments, both aware we can do something strange but unable to figure out why. Then comes Hogwarts and magic and suddenly it makes sense, and now we have the power to help ourselves, not be kicked around anymore. He uses it, I don't still too afraid of my own shadow after what the Dursley's did to me. And then their was the sheer wonder that was Hogwarts and how safe it made me feel, and I'm certain Riddle was the same. Didn't hurt that we're both immensely powerful. Our main difference is really the one that matters. He uses his strength to take control, to dominate. I use mine to protect, to save.”

Ginny shoots Ron a look before speaking up. “You... you really get him don't you?”

Harry nods. “Yeah I do. I had a lot of time to examine him through our connection before it was broken. Really there's only one reason I didn't turn out exactly like him.” The room waits with baited breath for him to continue. Hermione, Ron, and Tonks smile, they know exactly why Harry never fell. Harry chuckles as he explains. “It's really easy guys. You. All of you. Like Riddle, I never had friends growing up, but Hogwarts changed that. I think... I think the castle saw me and it saw so much of Riddle it didn't want to make the same mistake. So it... pushed me towards people that would be understanding, that would be a good fit with me. Every year, I felt myself being pushed to more and more people until I was even friends with Draco Bloody Malfoy.” The whole room laughed while Draco shot Harry a dirty look, but quickly started chuckling.

Harry waved his hand to quiet the room. “We got distracted guys, sorry. What we really need is a way into Hogwarts, I'm certain now that we'll have to take the fight to Riddle. Now he knows about the Chamber of Secrets and the Room of Requirement so those are both dangerous. Though the RoR is a little less so. Doubtless he knows several secret passages, so we need to find some way in that he wouldn't think of.”

After several minutes, Ron stood up and shouted in joy. “I got it! It's so perfect and there's no way V-v-voldemort would ever think of it, not if he's half as arrogant as you say. House-eleves!”

Harry laughed, excitement pouring out of him. “Ron, that's bloody brilliant! He thinks their so far beneath him that he'd never take precautions against them, I'm sure we can get them to take some of us in. Well with that solved, here's the whole of my plan.”

By the time Harry was done and word had been spread around to every resistance member and every race that supported them, they knew that one way or another, this was the end.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, was trying to work on a different fic but it's tough going. Also, I suck at fight scenes so I hope this is ok. 
> 
> Parseltongue is in italics.

The sun dawned red, and raw, and bleeding on the morning of August 28th. Voldemort greeted this day as he did each day, standing atop the Astronomy Tower, gazing out over his seat of power, Hogwarts, and the valley that held her. Letting out a sigh, Voldemort tried to chase away thoughts of the last few months. Sure, he'd lost the Potter brat, and had been defeated(and humiliated), but he was still far stronger than the boy, he just got lucky. And there was no way he would ever be brave enough to come back to England. Voldemort chuckled, he was fully healed, this “resistance” he kept seeing was about to be crushed, and then his terror would spread throughout the rest of Europe! If only beautiful, powerful Nagini was still around, but he had gotten reckless.

“My lord?”

Voldemort turned and saw the youngest Malfoy standing before him, a look of... was that fear... on his face? “Speak Draco.”

Draco nodded and looked over his “master's” shoulder. “There have been more rumors my lord. Someone has been rallying the magical creatures. We've had werewolves and vampires defect, dementors are disappearing and even a few... dragons have been spotted congregating near London.”

Voldemort kept surprise from showing on his face and instead scowled. “Dragons? Truly?” Draco, not trusting his voice, simply nodded. “Well, what will those fools think up next? No one can strike deals with those barbarous creatures. Still the other rumors could be troubling. Let us do our best to crush them. Oh and Draco?” 

“Yes, my lord?”

“Crucio! You should no better than to disrupt me when I'm up here.” Releasing the spell and watching young Malfoy limp off, the Dark Lord laughed to himself. Dragons. How stupid could people get? Remembering how the wizarding world turned against their “savior” five years ago he laughed even harder. Oh right, that stupid.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the sun rose over the surrounding mountains and sunglight started pouring through the trees in the heart of the Forbidden forest, so too did groups of witches and wizards, goblins, vampires, werewolves, unicorns, veela, house-elves, and groups from just about every other magical race imaginable appeared. Leading the army, the sword of Gryffindor on his hip, was Neville Longbottom, rallying point for the resistance in the absence of Harry Potter. Coming to a large clearing, he motioned for everyone to stop as a figure approached them through the woods in front of them. “Draco.”

“Neville.”

“Well?”

“He's weak. He hit me with the Cruciatus not a half hour ago and it did nothing. But he has taken the rumblings of a force amassing and has pulled back his forces. Between us and the castle lie close to a thousand giants, acromantula, vampires, and werewolves. We have numbers and surprise on our side, but they are entrenched. Even with our force sneaking into the castle, it will be hard fought. Riddle won't even join the fight unless things start to go bad or Potter shows up.” Looking around, Draco noticed he was no where in sight. Surely Gryffindor's Golden Boy wouldn't miss out on a fight like this? “Where is he by the way?” 

Neville and most of the resistance higher ups chuckled, though Tonks glanced up into the sky worriedly. “He really wanted to make an entrance.” Noticing Draco's arched eyebrow, Neville smiled reassuringly. “Don't worry. And no, I won't say a thing. Don't wanna ruin the surprise.”

Shrugging it off Draco marched over and took his place by the house-elves, nodding to Ron and smiling to Ernie Macmillan. Bracing themselves, they and eighteen other magicals, and a handful of goblins, vampires, and werewolves took an elves hand in theirs and vanished.

\---------------------------------------------------

Working in his usual dungeon, Severus Snape smiled to himself. Having finally abandoned the 'Light,' he was glad to be able to let out his rather considerable dark and malicous side, killing and raping his way through muggle England these last three years. He was almost, dare he say it, happy? Smiling to himself and getting back to working on his potion, his own invention, it was designed to cause hallucinations that led to the subject clawing their own faces off. Regrettable his peace, like the midmorning's, was shattered when an intruder alarm rang out. He rushed off to the Great Hall, running into underlings along the way. “Report.”

One low level Death Eater snapped to attention. “Sir. Three alarms have been set off, one on the seventh floor, one on the third, and one in the Great Hall.”

“Hmmm it would seem our enemies have grown bold. Foolish, but bold.” Smirking to himself, Snape continued, “Oh I sure hope that Potter's pet Mudblood is finally coming out of the wood works, I'd love to get my hands on her.”

Laughing the other Death Eater spoke up, “Who wouldn't sir? Everyone wants a piece of Granger if you know what I mean?”

Snape would never find out what he meant though as his head exploded, brain and blood splattering all over his face. “What the fu-.” He was cut off by a yelled snarl of “SNAPE!” He looked up to see the youngest Weasley boy charging at him and the rest of his group, followed by several wizards and even a few magical creatures. Smiling he raised his wand. “Kill what you can, but the redheaded blood traitor is mine!” Firing off several cutting curses, Snape blanched as Weasley batted them aside and sent blasters and bone breakers at him. “Well well, it seems the light has finally broken. Dark creatures and fatal spells? What would Dumble-.” Cutoff by his shield shattering and an overpowered bludgeoner cracking a rib and sending him flying down the hall, Snape was finally worried.

“No!” bellowerd Ron, “You don't get to say his name you traitor!” Composing himself, Ron pressed the attack, watching as goblin cut an enemy werewolf in two and a pair of vampires set to draining a young foreign Death Eater dry. Wincing slightly at the horrors of war, he steeled himself and went back to dueling Snape.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hermione Granger let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. They were in and they were fighting. This was it. She raised her wand and aimed it at the Hogwarts wards, with the rest of the Order of Lighting following suit behind her. As one, every witch, wizard, goblin, and house-elf fired what magic they could to bring down some of the strongest wards of all time. She glanced over to Neville, smiling at the shy boy turned figurehead of the fight against evil.

“This is it! We're gonna take back our damn castle! For Britain! For all the people these bastards have slaughtered! For the Potters!” Neville turned away from his army and raised his wand, his spellfire joining theirs. Withing in minutes the wards were down and he was leading the charge, shielding against what spells he could, while dodging the rest. With a shout that came out as more of a growl, he brought down both male Crabbes with a single blasting hex. He scanned the battle, watching Dolohov falling to bone breakers from Hermione and Luna. Avery wasn't dead yet, but his chest had been ripped open by a werewolf and his blood was pooling, turning the ground around him soggy. Across the courtyard, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange had just take down Terry Boot and Alicia Spinnet... only to turn and immediately be tackled by a furious Hagrid. The sounds coming from them were enough to cause even Neville to turn away. Which was fortunate, as he brought a shield up just in time to block a curse from Bellatrix.

“Ahhh baby Longbottom! I've been waiting for this moment for years! I think I'll kill ya and then send Mummy and Daddy along for a nice family reunion! What do you think?” Bellatrix faltered as three bone exploders, a blood drainer, a blood boiler, and even a Cruciatus came at her. She dodged just in time and immediately threw up a shield as a stunner connected with it.

“That answer your question dear Bella?” Neville smiled, the day he'd been waiting five years for was finally here. Not wasting a moment he launched deadly spell after deadly spell at his opponent. Once he was certain she was too unsteady to attack, he drew his sword and rushed her, raising it to strike... only to be launched off his feet as the ground around him exploded. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Voldemort was furious, so much so that his magic was becoming visible. How dare they. HOW DARE THEY ATTACK HIM HERE. His castle, his home. This place was sacred. They would all burn for this. “Crabbe, Nott, Malfoy, Rookwood. Come with.” Without even waiting to see if they would follow, of course they would, he was their master, Voldemort took off, heading to the balcony overlooking the courtyard in front of the school. Before he could get much further he found... house-elves... fighting his soldiers. How disgusting. “Reducto.” With a single spell, everyone in the hallway was blasted away, some dead, some dying slowly. But that doesn't matter, anyone getting held up by a house-elf deserved a painful death. “Fools!”

“My lord! We have enemies inside the castle!”

“I don't care, Selwyn! Get some soldiers and take care of them, there can't be that many! I'm heading to the courtyard to take care of the rest of this rabble.” Turning his back on the scene in the hallway, he continued working his down the castle, ignoring all the fights around him. Once he finally reached the balcony he gasped. Their army was large, maybe as big as his and it consisted of many different magical creatures. He saw his giants fighting against gryphons and thestrals, trolls being brought down by wolves and veela fire, acromantula being hacked apart by goblins and vampires. His rage building, he sarted throwing as many blasting and exploding hexes as he could, not caring who he killed as long as these impudent whelps fell to his wrath. “AHHHH Mudbloods and blood traitors all of you!” 

“Dragons! The dragons are coming!”

Voldemort jerked his head up, just in time to see a blast of fire coming toward him. He dove off the balcony, landing softly but was caught by the exploding stone and cursed as his back was stuck by several pieces of debris. These fools would pay.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry loved flying, in all its forms. Sure, brooms were personal and agile and fast. Yeah hipogriffs were majestic and comfortable and just plain cool. But this? This was flying as it was meant to be. And honestly, sometimes it was ok to live up to the legend of the Boy-Who-Lived. Riding at the head of a clutch of dragons, into the final battle against a Dark Lord? Let's see all those rumors and stories top this. “Wood! Hey Wood!”

“What Harry?” Oliver Wood forced out, clearly not enjoying this as much as he should be.

“Is it wrong for me to hope that just this once Creevey has his camera with him?”

“Dammit Potter you're bloody crazy!”

“Ahhh Angelina, you just need to learn to have fun?” He turned to look at Angelina, who was flying behind and slightly above him. “Just look at Dora here, she's having the time of her life!” This was immediately proven untrue as a stinging hex struck him in the back of his head. Harry laughed and looked over at Dora, clutching the neck of her dragon for dear life and very pointedly not looking down.

“Oh come on Tonksie...” said twin one(George?).

“...lay off the poor bugger,” said twin two(Fred?).

They smiled and both spoke up at once, “It's obvious he's been brain damaged recently.”

A snort drew Harry's attention below him. “Recently? I think you mean since the beginning.” 

“Ha very funny Greengrass.” Harry glared at the witch but she merely laughed harder.

'Young one, pay attention.' The Imperial Black Horntail spoke, for the first time in several hours. 'The battle draws near. Indeed I see your Dark Lord. Shall we finish this my friend?'

'Yes ancient one. Let's!' Harry drew his wand and leaned forward as the dragons started descending. “Alright everyone let's do this!” The dragons roared as they divebombed the battle below. As the wind tore past his face Harry caught someone yelling “Dragons! The dragons are coming!” He smirked, just as his dragon companion let loose a blast of flame, his signal to jump off as his dragon slowed down and turned to head back up for another pass. He zeroed in on Riddle, calming himself down and preparing for the end of his crucible. He pointed his wand at Riddle, who was still struggling to his feet. “They taught you how to duel yes? First we bow. It is proper after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Welp there's my first chapter. Hope ya liked it! First fic so please R&R with feedback.


End file.
